


Would You Rather?

by L56895



Series: 2010 Writings [7]
Category: Harvey (1950)
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-15 01:44:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16924176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L56895/pseuds/L56895
Summary: Doctor Sanderson worries he may have lost her to another man. Set immediately post-film.





	Would You Rather?

When the crowd assembled in the foyer of the institution finally left, leaving a heavy silence broken only by the clicking of the pipes, Ruth found herself alone with Doctor Sanderson.

“That was quite the day, wasn’t it Lyman?” she murmured, leaning into his warm chest. He said nothing in reply and she looked up to see a look of doubt overshadowing his face.

“Doctor?” she said quietly and he broke away from their embrace, pacing forward to her desk in the sterile waiting room. For a moment they stood in silence, her hands braced in front of her, his back turned towards her until she saw him sigh and face her.

“Would you have liked to marry Mr Dowd, Miss Kelly?” Lyman asked her quietly, his face uncharacteristically open and troubled.

“Well, I suppose he would have made a very nice husband,” she replied thoughtfully, looking up at Lyman in time to see his face fall, “He’s kind, and funny, and I suppose he’s rather wealthy and lonely, living in that big house with only Mrs Simmons and Myrtle Mae for company.”

“Of course,” he was close enough for her see his throat move as he swallowed yet he moved away, towards his office, wiping his face with the palm of his hand, “He seemed very fond of you, Ruth.”

“Yes, Mr Dowd was very kind,” she responded with a smile on her lips and a note of humour in her tone. Yet he still looked away from her, his shoulders stiff and his hand still poised at his face, “Kinder to me than some people, at least,” she added, not unkindly, and he turned to her with a look of anguish on his face.

“Miss Kelly, I’m sorry,” he whispered plaintively, stepping forward to hold her hands to his chest, “For every day I let go past without telling you how lovely you are, I’m sorry.”

She held her breath when he kissed her, his lips touching her forehead gently, and gripped his fingers tighter. She heard him let out a gasping sob into her hair, felt his hands against her back.

“Lyman,” she murmured and he faced her with distress in his eyes, “Mr Dowd is a kind man and he’d make a fine husband. But he’s not the man I love. And I’d rather work to help support a life and family with an assistant psychiatrist than marry a man I’m not in love with.”

His expression changed slowly, a dawning realisation of what she was telling him, and he broke into a smile that lit up his entire face.

“Years of psychology training will never let me comprehend you, Ruth,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her temple again, “Let me understand you. Marry me.”

“Lyman…” she breathed, and he gripped her hands in his own once more and looked her in the eye, “Yes, of course I will.”

His face broke into a grin that was charmingly shy and she felt him fondle her hands gently with his fingertips.

“I don’t have a big house or a wealthy family, Ruth, but I’ll work hard with you to make a good life for us,” he murmured, “And I’ll never let a day go by without telling you how beautiful you are.”

As he spoke his eyes were warm and open, gazing at her with more tenderness than she had ever dared hope.

“I know, Lyman,” she whispered, reaching up to kiss the corner of his mouth gently.


End file.
